Strategy and Luck

Last month I posted some musings on the role of luck in business, and tips on how to maximize your own good luck.

This morning I found an intriguing comment on luck - in, of all things, a story on University of Calgary poli-sci prof Tom Flanagan, a longtime aide of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Flanagan has just written a book on the rise of the Conservatives called Harper's Gang. In an interview with the National Post yesterday, Flanagan says Harper possesses one of the most strategic minds he has ever encountered. And, he observes, "strategists tend to have good luck."

Strategy in business is all about setting objectives, pursuing appropriate courses of action, and keeping a steady eye on your industry and the economic landscape. That helps you know when to stick with your focus, and when to adjust. People who do that, says Flanagan, "tend to have good luck."

Want to get lucky? Fine-tune your business strategy. People who focus their efforts and constantly monitor their results make their own luck.